Tuesday, February 09, 2016

New Hampshire primary day

Time to bring this cup out. I assume every contestant seeking New Hampshire votes today has shaken hands at this place.
Charles Pierce provides an insight into the Democratic primary and Hillary Clinton's ongoing positioning in our politics that I think captures something true. Since Bill Clinton's presidency, the trajectory of US history has taken some big turns:
... there [were] two huge intervening events: One was the debacle of the Iraq War, and the other was the economic vandalism that came to light in 2008. Neither of those ever was properly litigated by the proper institutions. So, they get litigated in our politics.

In 2008, fairly or unfairly, [Democrats] litigated the Iraq War by hanging it around HRC's candidacy. There's more than a little evidence that, this time around, fairly or unfairly, they're litigating the near-destruction of the economy the same way. That's a tough albatross to shake.
She's not doing herself any favors by embracing the albatross of Madeleine Albright -- the Bill Clinton-era Secretary of State who famously allowed as how killing half a million Iraqi children was "worth it."

Nonetheless, this remains true:

6 comments:

Rain Trueax said...

Albright, with her mean comments, reminds us of the concern many of us have that Hillary would be way too warlike herself if she gets the power-- A Margaret Thatcher if you will. When Albright said Bernie didn't know enough about foreign affairs, I thought-- what should he know that sometimes it's worth having our young men and women killed for... er what was that supposed to be for again???

Hattie said...

Jan: That mug is quite a keepsake.
I hold no brief for Madeleine Albright, but is Bernie Sanders really a practical?

Hattie said...

Damn that autocorrect! Peacenick is what I meant!

janinsanfran said...

Hattie: For my druthers, Bernie would be a better candidate if he were more of a peacenik. He doesn't seem interested in what we do around the world.

I know my position will remain that we must do all we can to elect some Democrat -- any Democrat -- in November. If California held a primary at a meaningful time, I'd vote for Bernie. Would Bernie be electable? Depends on what the GOP does ... among other variables. Trump is probably more electable than we think.

I am profoundly uncomfortable with Hillary's imperial bellicosity and her comfort with Wall Street. But when do any of us get a president who is perfect?

Oh -- and we must do all we can to elect a Democratic Senate. That is possible, on a state by state effort.

Brandon said...

Or putting in more third-party state and national legislators. I know a Green candidate, Keiko Bonk, who ran against Democratic bigwig Calvin Say (Hawaii State Legislature). Although she lost, she garnered more votes than the Republican in the race.

janinsanfran said...

Hi Brandon: I remember encountering Bonk! bumperstickers in Hilo in 1997 with delight.

In San Francisco, a friend of mine perennially runs against Nancy Pelosi on the Green ticket, not with the object of defeating the Minority Leader, but, while raising good issues, of beating out the Republican. :-) In California, the top two candidates move on, so this feat could make for a fun general election.